Abe dissolves Japan's parliament & sets Oct 22 election date

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has dissolved Japan’s House of Representatives.

It followed his calling a snap general election in a bid to maintain his hold on power.

Abe set Oct 22 as the day of the vote at an extraordinary session. without making a policy speech and with no press conference afterward.

The timing of the election, official campaigning for which will start on Oct 10, suggests the premier’s primary goal is to take advantage of a perceived weakness and lack of preparation in the opposition parties. However they have rallied together in a major reorganization aimed at taking power.

The main opposition Democratic Party has put a plan to party executives that will effectively see it merge with the charismatic former Mayor of Tokyo’s brand-new Kibo no party to mount a united challenge to the Abe-led ruling coalition nationwide.